In '53, `War' didn't impress this critic

June 29, 2005|By Mae Tinee.

Editor's note: This is the Chicago Tribune's review of the 1953 "War of the Worlds," produced by George Pal (the name as published has been corrected in this text), directed by Byron Haskin and starring Gene Barry (as the flowing-tie-wearing chief scientist), Les Tremayne and Ann Robinson (as the hand-wringing heroine). The review, which appeared on Oct. 16, 1953, and matter-of-factly gives away the ending, was written by an unknown Tribune critic who wrote under a pseudonym, which was the custom back then, as was the unorthodox spelling of "thru."

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Maybe it's because I've been disintegrated so frequently by space-happy small boys with death ray guns in hand, but I couldn't react much to this lurid version of an invasion from Mars.

FOR THE RECORD - This story contains corrected material, published June 30, 2005.

What calm Americans think is a meteor proves to be a large flat vehicle which hovers in the air, disintegrating everything in sight with rays projected from a long coil resembling a snake about to strike. No known weapon, including the atom bomb, makes a dent in it, but the producers arrange a happy ending, after most of the capital cities of the world have been shattered.

The newcomers, who have three eyes, are also dreadfully anemic, and our germ-laden atmosphere polished 'em off in short order.

The film was obviously made with an eye to economy, the script is pompous and there isn't an actor in the entire cast. The chief scientist wears horn-rimmed glasses and a flowing tie, the heroine is chiefly occupied with eye batting and hand wringing, and a couple of customers seated near me slept soundly thru the entire proceedings.